You only need a skip permit if the skip is going on the public road, the pavement or a grass verge. A skip on your driveway, front garden or other private land needs no permit at all. When a permit is needed, the skip company applies to the council for you. In our area the council fee for a standard skip runs from £39 to £91.42, and every council asks for at least three working days’ notice.
Whether you book skip hire in Selby or York with us, we apply for road permits on your behalf as an approved supplier for the local councils, so you do not need to contact the council yourself. This guide explains when you need a permit, what each council charges, how long it takes and the rules a skip on the road has to follow. The fees below were checked on each council’s website on 30 October 2026.
In This Article
- Do you need a permit for a skip?
- Who applies for a skip permit?
- How much does a skip permit cost?
- How long does it take to get a skip permit?
- How long does a skip permit last?
- Where can a skip go on the road?
- Do skips on the road need lights and cones?
- What happens if a skip is on the road without a permit?
- How to book a skip that needs a permit
- Skip permit FAQs
Do you need a permit for a skip?
Only if the skip goes on the highway. By law, a skip cannot be placed on a highway without the permission of the highway authority, which for local roads is the council (section 139 of the Highways Act 1980). The highway is more than the road itself. North Yorkshire Council’s skip licence terms count footways, footpaths, verges and back streets as highway too.
If the skip can sit on your own land, you do not need a permit. Councils will not usually grant one if the skip could reasonably go on private property instead, so check your drive first. Tell us if your drive is shared or narrow, or has a manhole or drain cover where the skip would sit, and we will work out where it can safely go.
| Where the skip goes | Permit needed? |
|---|---|
| Your driveway or front garden | No |
| Other private land, such as a yard | No, but you need the landowner’s permission |
| The road outside your home | Yes |
| A pavement | Yes, and councils only allow it in exceptional cases |
| A grass verge or back street that is public highway | Yes |
Who applies for a skip permit?
The skip company applies, not you. In our area, councils only grant skip permits to skip companies, not to the people hiring the skips. North Yorkshire Council asks skip companies to register first, with at least £5 million of public liability insurance and their waste carrier details, and then to apply separately for every skip location. City of York Council makes the skip hire company responsible for the permit, and East Riding of Yorkshire Council only considers applications from registered contractors.
We are an approved supplier for the local councils and a registered waste carrier (licence CBDU278627). When you book a skip that has to go on the road, we make the application and plan your delivery date around it.
How much does a skip permit cost?
The council sets the fee, so the cost depends on which council looks after your road. These are the current fees for a standard skip on a road with no parking restrictions:
| Council | Towns we cover | Permit fee | Lasts | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Yorkshire Council | Selby, Tadcaster, Sherburn in Elmet, Eggborough, Easingwold, Malton | £91.42 | 2 weeks | 3 working days |
| City of York Council | York | £76 | 1 to 14 days | 3 working days |
| East Riding of Yorkshire Council | Goole, Howden, Pocklington, Market Weighton, Gilberdyke, Stamford Bridge | £39 for skips up to 12 yards, £48 for 13 yards and over | Up to 14 days | 3 full working days |
Three things can add to that:
- Short notice. A permit needed in less than three working days costs more: an extra £35.56 in North Yorkshire, an extra £56 in York (£132 in total), and £51 instead of £39 for a standard skip in the East Riding.
- Parking restrictions. If the skip has to go in a parking bay or on yellow lines, the parking may need to be suspended first. The East Riding charges extra for this and needs at least 13 full working days’ notice for a pay and display bay.
- VAT. North Yorkshire Council does not charge VAT on the licence, but it points out that a VAT registered skip company has to add VAT when it passes the fee on.
Castleford and Thorne come under Wakefield Council and City of Doncaster Council, which set their own fees. Wherever you are, call us before you book and we will tell you which council covers your street and what its permit costs.
How long does it take to get a skip permit?
Allow about four working days. All three councils ask for at least three working days’ notice before a skip goes on the road. North Yorkshire Council aims to decide within three working days, and City of York Council acknowledges an application within three working days but is clear that permission cannot be assumed until it is granted. Approval usually takes four working days, so we agree your delivery date around it.
The councils do offer short notice permits at the higher fees shown above. Our online bookings already need three days’ notice for standard skips and ten days for larger ones, so if you need a skip on the road, call us as soon as you know your dates and we will tell you what is possible for your street.
How long does a skip permit last?
Usually up to two weeks. North Yorkshire Council issues a licence for two weeks, and a skip that needs to stay longer needs a new licence for each extra two weeks at the same fee. City of York Council charges £76 for 1 to 14 days and another £76 for each further 1 to 14 days. In the East Riding a licence lasts up to 14 days, and a renewal costs £28 for a skip up to 12 yards.
That fits our hire periods. Standard skips are hired for up to 14 days and larger skips for up to 7 days. If your job runs over, tell us before the permit ends so we can apply for more time, because a skip cannot stay on the road once its permit has expired. If you finish early, book an early skip collection and the skip comes off the road sooner.
Where can a skip go on the road?
The council agrees the exact spot when it approves the permit, but the rules are much the same across our area:
- On the road, not the pavement. North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council only allow a skip on the footway in exceptional circumstances.
- Tight to the kerb. North Yorkshire Council wants the long sides parallel to the edge of the road and as close to it as possible.
- Clear of drains and covers. The skip must not block road drainage or access to manholes and other covers.
- Not on restricted spots. York does not allow skips on double yellow lines, and the East Riding does not allow them in loading, taxi or disabled bays.
- Outside your own home on residents’ parking streets. That is a condition in North Yorkshire.
Not sure what restrictions your street has? Tell us about any yellow lines, parking bays or signs when you book, or send us a photo on WhatsApp to 07843 124391.
Do skips on the road need lights and cones?
Yes. Under section 139 of the Highways Act 1980, the owner of a skip on the highway must make sure it is properly lit during the hours of darkness, clearly marked with the owner’s name and phone number or address, and removed as soon as practicable once it is full. The Builders’ Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984 also require two marking plates on each end of a skip on the road, in red fluorescent and yellow reflective material, so it shows up in headlights.
The councils add their own conditions. North Yorkshire Council checks that a skip is coned and lit and that a full skip is removed within two working days. City of York Council asks for the skip to be lit at night with cones around it, and for the permit to be on display, for example in a ground floor window of the property next to the skip.
Once the skip is on the road, our hire terms ask you to keep those conditions in place: leave the cones where they are, keep the lamps working after dark and do not move the skip. Keep your waste inside the skip too, rather than stacked beside it on the road. You can see what can and cannot go in a skip on our domestic skip hire page.
What happens if a skip is on the road without a permit?
A skip on the highway without permission is a criminal offence for the skip owner under section 139. The councils also charge penalties on top of the permit. City of York Council charges £275 for a skip found without a permit. East Riding of Yorkshire Council charges £280, and the same £280 applies to a skip with missing or damaged signs or guarding. North Yorkshire Council says it will remove an unlicensed skip if it cannot reach the operator, recover the cost and seek to prosecute.
Parking fines are the hirer’s responsibility under our hire terms, so if your street has parking bays or yellow lines, tell us when you book so the permit covers the spot the skip will actually sit in.
How to book a skip that needs a permit
- Check your drive first. If the skip can go on your driveway, front garden or other private land, no permit is needed and you can book your skip online.
- Choose Highway, then call us. If it has to go on the road, choose Highway as the skip placement in our booking form and call our Selby office on 01757 642032 or our York office on 01904 411445.
- Tell us exactly where it will go. Mention yellow lines, parking bays, residents’ parking, a narrow road or anything overhead.
- We apply to the council. We make the permit application and agree your delivery date around it, usually about four working days.
- Keep it safe while it is out. Leave the cones and lamps in place and book your collection as soon as the skip is full.
Not sure which size to ask for? Our skip sizes guide shows every skip from a 2 yard mini skip to a 40 yard RoRo. Homeowners can read how the service works on our domestic skip hire page, and building sites and businesses can see our RoRo containers on the commercial waste page.
If you are a tradesperson with your own van or trailer, you can skip the permit altogether by bringing your waste to our Selby site. Find out more about trade tipping in Selby. For anything else, send us a message through the contact form on our homepage or get an instant skip hire quote.
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Skip permit FAQs
Do I need a skip permit if the skip goes on my driveway?
No. A skip on your driveway, front garden or other private land does not need a permit. You only need one if the skip goes on a public road, pavement or grass verge.
How much is a skip permit in York?
City of York Council charges £76 for 1 to 14 days, and another £76 for each further 1 to 14 days. If the permit is needed with less than three working days’ notice, the council adds £56, making £132 in total.
How much is a skip permit in Selby?
Selby is covered by North Yorkshire Council, which charges £91.42 for a two week skip licence. If the skip is needed within three days of the request, an early start fee of £35.56 is added.
Can I apply for a skip permit myself?
No. Councils in our area only issue skip permits to skip companies, so the company supplying your skip applies for it. When you book a road skip with us, we make the application for you.
Can a skip go on the pavement?
Usually not. North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council only allow a skip on the footway in exceptional circumstances, so expect it to go on the road beside the kerb instead.
How long does it take to get a skip permit?
Councils in our area need at least three working days’ notice, and approval usually takes about four working days. The councils charge more for a short notice permit, so call us as soon as you know your dates.
Does a skip on the road need lights?
Yes. The law requires a skip on the highway to be properly lit during the hours of darkness and marked with red and yellow reflective plates on each end. Councils also expect cones around it.
Sources
- Skip licences, North Yorkshire Council
- Skip licence terms and conditions, North Yorkshire Council
- Highways fees and charges, North Yorkshire Council
- Skip permits, City of York Council
- Placing skips, scaffolding and platforms, East Riding of Yorkshire Council
- Highways Act 1980, section 139, legislation.gov.uk
- The Builders’ Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984, legislation.gov.uk